MIG WELDING
Listen to the sound made. An irregular crackling
s
ound denotes too high a wire speed. Decrease
the speed until a regular, strong buzzing sound is
h
eard.
TIPS
T
ry to maintain the tip of the nozzle at an angle of
approx. 45º and at a constant distance of approx
5-7mm from the workpiece.
Try to maintain a constant speed of movement with
the torch.
Do not weld in windy conditions or in an area
where ventilation is a problem, or where air flow
fluctuates.
ALWAYS keep the wire and nozzle clean. NEVER
use rusted wire.
Avoid sharp bends or kinks in the welding hose.
Periodically remove the dust, using LOW
PRESSURE compressed air, within the casing.
Adequate heat dissipation is essential during the
welders operation.
TUNING THE WIRE SPEED
This is one of the most important parts of MIG
welder operation and must be done before starting
each welding job or whenever any of the following
variables are changed: heat setting, wire diameter,
or wire type.
Connect the Ground Clamp to a scrap piece of the
same type of material which you will be welding. It
should be equal to or greater than the thickness of
the actual work piece, and free of oil, paint, rust,
etc.
Select a heat setting.
Hold the torch in one hand, allowing the nozzle to
rest on the edge of the work piece farthest away
from you, and at an angle similar to that which will
be used when welding. (See HOLDING THE
TORCH if you are uncertain of the angle at which
you will be welding).
With your free hand, turn the Wire Speed Dial to
maximum and continue to hold onto the knob.
Lower your welding helmet and pull the trigger on
the torch to start an arc, then begin to drag the
torch toward you while simultaneously turning the
Wire Speed Dial counter-clockwise.
LISTEN! As you decrease the wire speed, the
s
ound that the arc makes will change from a
sputtering to a high-pitched buzzing sound and
t
hen will begin sputtering again if you decrease the
w
ire speed too much. The point on the wire speed
adjustment where the high-pitched buzzing sound
is achieved is the correct setting. You can use the
wire speed control to slightly increase or decrease
the heat and penetration for a given heat setting by
selecting higher or lower wire speed settings.
Repeat this tune-in procedure if you select a new
heat setting, a different diameter wire, or a different
type of welding wire.
ELECTRODES
The welding electrode is a rod coated with a layer
of flux. When welding, electrical current flows
between the electrode (rod) and the grounded
metal work piece. The intense heat of the arc
between the rod and the grounded metal melts the
electrode and the flux. The most popular electrodes
are:
E6011 60,000 PSI tensile strength deep
penetrating applications.
E6013 60,000 PSI tensile strength used for poor fit
up applications
E7014 70,000 PSI tensile strength used for high
deposition and fast travel speeds with light
penetration
E7018 70,000 PSI tensile strength, used for out of
position and tacking.
SELECTING THE PROPER ELECTRODES
There is no golden rule that determine the exact
rod or heat setting required for every situation. The
type and thickness of metal and the position of the
work piece determine the electrode type and the
amount of heat needed in the welding process.
Heavier and thicker metals required more
amperage. It is best to practice your welds on
scrap metal which matches the metal you intend to
work with to determine correct heat setting and
electrode choice. See the following helpful trouble
shooting tips to determine if you are using a correct
electrode.
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